1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to boating accessories. More particularly, the present invention relates to a buoyant bumper system for preventing damage to a boat floating on a water body when the boat is docked.
2. Description of the Prior Art
During the period in which a boat floating on a water body is secured to a dock, the rising and falling of the tide frequently causes the hull of the boat to contact either the vertical posts (pilings) of the dock which secure the dock to the lakebed or the horizontal planking (deck) that forms the surface of the dock which provides access to the boat. Docks are typically constructed with the pilings close together such that they are the primary points of contact between the moored boat and the dock. This minimizes damage to either the boat or the dock when the boat inadvertently strikes the dock. Because the dock is fixed and stable in the lakebed and the moored boat floats on the surface of the water, any type of wave action, generated either by the wind or by the passing of other boats, will cause the hull of the boat to bounce against the vertical posts of the dock, potentially damaging both the dock and the boat. The cost of repairing a wooden dock structure may not be excessive, but the work involved is substantial. The cost of repairing damage to an expensive boat may be very expensive, and the resale value of the boat will be substantially reduced.
A boat bumper is a conventional device that fits between the boat dock and the moored boat such that neither the boat nor the dock will suffer damage when the moving boat encounters the dock structure. The boat bumper is therefore one of the most important accessories in the rapidly-growing recreational boating arena. The protection of the boat and the dock is vital to continued enjoyment of this recreational activity.
Boat bumpers or bumpers are available in two basic groups. One group attaches to the side or gunwale of the boat. The other group attaches to the vertical posts or pilings of the dock. Generally, the first group of bumper is fairly rigidly attached to the side or gunwale of the boat and is made of a flexible, deformable material. The material is capable of absorbing the shock of the boat striking the dock. The problem with this type of bumper, however, is that each bumper must be specifically manufactured for a particular shape of the boat gunwale.
An example of the second group of bumper, which attaches to the piling of the dock, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,762,016. In this assembly, a deformable bumper portion is attached to the piling such that the bumper can slide up and down the piling. In this configuration, the deformable bumper is capable of being placed in a position to protect the boat and dock.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,486,342 discloses a pile mooring bumper. The bumper base is formed of a floatable material, such that the bumper can float on the surface of a water body, rising and falling with the tides. However, the pile mooring bumper of the '342 patent can only be used on pylons. Each pylon must be a stand-alone pylon such that the bumper can slide onto the pylon. Furthermore, the bumper and line are non-adjustable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,363 discloses a buoyant marine bumper element having guides for securing it to a mooring facility such as a piling. The bumper element rises and falls with the tide or waves as a result of its buoyancy. The bumper element is cylindrical in form and sealed at each end by an enlarged end cap, which serves as a stop element for limiting up-and-down movement upon contacting a guide element. However, the floater and bumper of the device are combined into a single element.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,280 discloses a boat mooring apparatus which includes a track mounted to a piling. A carriage is mounted for movement within the track and an elongated rod is connected thereto. A mooring ring is mounted to the carriage or the rod. A float is mounted on the lower end of the rod so that when the entire assembly floats up and down with the tide, the relationship between a boat moored thereto and the mooring ring is independent of the tide. However, the apparatus disclosed in the '280 patent has no bumper to cushion the impact of a boat against the apparatus during docking.
The most common type of boat bumper currently available is a cylindrical, elongated tube, rounded at both ends and made of a resilient deformable material to absorb the impact of the boat against the dock structure. One end or both ends of the tube can be attached to a rope such that the bumper can be fastened to the boat or the dock. A disadvantage of this type of bumper is that, when the boat pitches or rolls against the bumper due to wave action, the bumper can be easily dislodged from its position between the boat and the dock, thus allowing the boat to strike the dock. When deformed, the cylinder can absorb and dissipate more force than can other shapes. If the boater carries the bumpers from one dock to another, the rounded shape of the bumper is easy to transport and not dangerous to a person should it roll around in the boat during transit. The cylinder is an excellent shape for a bumper, but a problem with the cylinder involves maintaining the bumper in the correct position between the boat and the dock to effectively perform its desired function.
At present, there is no practical buoyant bumper system that includes a lower bumper float which is positioned at the surface of a water body and rises and falls with the surface. Accordingly, there is needed a buoyant bumper system which includes a lower bumper float engaged to an adjustable sleeve that is connected to an upper bumper bumper for attachment of a bumper line to a boat, such that the upper bumper bumper follows the movements of the lower bumper float while the assembly is attached to a dock piling, thereby avoiding the deficits of the prior art.